Marie Barker - I’ve known Tara since day one of our freshman year at FSU when a mutual friend, Christina, introduced us. It amazes me that I had to move to Tallahassee to become friends with Tara since we are both from the Melbourne area and have several mutual friends. During our time in college, we lived together for a total of two years (one on campus and one off campus). We were always looking for an excuse to have fun. This is probably why we outrageously celebrated every single holiday and birthday, frequented indie/80s dance nights at the clubs, and shared a love for cooking good food. She introduced me to the joys of stir-fried tofu and mangos, the magical powers gin can have on dancing, and Girl Talk. Looking back, some of the best times of my life were the moments that I shared with my best friend. Now, I am newly married and live back in Melbourne. Even though we are both working on our careers and building the next chapter of our lives with our men, Tara and I still find time to get together and relive our glory days.
Julie Perry - I have known Tara since elementary school where we met through mutual friends. Our forever friendship grew out of a shared love of rock and roll and all things punk! Tara was in my wedding back in 2006 when I married my high school sweetheart, Jason. We have a wonderful 2-year-old son named Everett and recently bought a home in the country. I am putting my law career on hold to be a stay-at-home mom. My hobbies are going to the gym and gardening.
Lauren Cowman - MSW, from Jacksonville, Florida. I met Tara at Florida State University in Campus Crusade for Christ in a ladies bible study at Jennie Murphry Hall. We became best friends on a road trip to Tampa before our mission trip to Barbados: going to a steak-house for dinner (where I found out Tara was a vegetarian), getting very lost and star-gazing in the cow pastures. It was all uphill from there and all of my college memories have Tara in the picture. After splitting from college life, I currently work in volunteer management with one of the largest mentoring programs in Northeast Florida through Communities In Schools of Jacksonville and United Way. I love Tara and Charlie and can't wait to be a part of their wedding day!
Elizabeth Kocur - As the younger and only sibling of the groom, Charlie has had the great pleasure of knowing me my entire life. I first met Tara in the glory days of Tallahassee at one of the gangs infamous "indie dance parties", where I promptly made her take shots of vodka (sorry Tara!) as a somewhat initiation into the family. She took this semi hazing from the baby sister like a pro, and soon became a welcomed addition. Like the happy couple and half the wedding party, I recently graduated from Florida State and am working in Tampa plotting my next big move. September is quickly approaching and I can not wait to have our closest friends and family in town to celebrate Charlie and Tara's big day!
Groomsmen:
Dustin Brown - The story of Dustin Brown and Charlie Kocur is one that transcribes the generations and great sagas of all time. A bond forged in a blinding light of pure energy these two manifestations of manliness and might materialized from the darkest matter of the multiverse and swore to never end their battle to vanquish evil. While they spent their time at Florida State University getting totally serious degrees (Bachelor of Fine Arts for Dustin, and Fashion Merchandising for Charlie); the two also found the time to join a professional circus, fight off mighty trolls, and dance the night away to some serious DJ’s. Dustin Brown would like to use his experience as an intergalactic space warrior and his beard as documentation for his approval of Charlie and Tara’s wedding.
Kevin Nohe - Joining Theta Chi Fraternity was probably one of the best decisions I ever made, and I was lucky enough that Charlie Kocur made that same decision years before me. I spent much of my time at FSU with my Gran-Big Charlie, as well as with my Grandma Tara Heffner. We had lots of good times and maybe one too many CELEBRATIONS! I graduated from FSU 4 years later with a double major in Chinese Language and Culture and International Affairs. Upon graduation I moved back to Tianjin, China where I have been living the past two years. I am perfecting my language skills as well as working part-time as a model/ actor. I hope to one day become the reverse Jackie Chan, I would like to be the token white guy in Asian Cinema, we shall see. I was lucky enough to have Charlie and Tara come visit me last summer, here in my second home. I hear great things happen on the Great Wall, and I cannot wait to fly home in September to see two of my best friends get married. 我爱你们！
Since leaving FSU, I have attended Barry Law School in Orlando and have been lucky enough to be able to make trips to visit my good friends Charlie and Tara in St. Pete.
Looking back, I am incredibly lucky to have made so many great memories over the years, and I am doubly lucky to have two absolutely amazing friends to have shared them with. It is a real honor to be standing beside Charlie and Tara and have a worthy reason for a CELEBRATION!